Dragon Wings
by WinterSoulstis
Summary: Every time Shae has let someone get close to her, things end up going wrong. She's always been a loner, so how could she handle the lively environment of the Fairy Tail guild? Just as she finally feels accepted, things go from bad to worse. NatsuxOC
1. Chapter 1 Redone

_**A/N: Yo! I've fixed up this chapter and am going to fix the rest of the story so I hope that doing this will ignite my interest in this story. I'm totally into Fairy Tail again since I've recently restarted watching it.**_

**~Sorry to my current alerters since some details will change and may confuse a bit later on. It has been a while since I've posted so feel free to reread if you have some freetime.**

**A/N: Just so you know, there will be lots of time skips throughout the story so I'll do my best to keep things from getting confusing.**

**Also, so you can relate to the story better, 1000 Jewels is about $10 so 10000 Jewels would be $100 in US money or so the FT wiki tells me :D**

What started out as a normal enough day quickly turned bad. Now I'm running as fast as my skinny legs can carry me, which couldn't be all that fast considering the guards are right behind me and gaining ground fast.

What did I do to piss off the guards of this quiet little town? I have no idea! One minute I'm sitting down having a nice lunch, which I paid for by the way, and the next minute this big burly guy comes into the shop and demands that I leave with him.

I've had bad experiences with people like him. Which is probably why I started running. I swear to god these people are attracted to me, just my luck...

I shake my head to clear it and start sprinting even faster. Whatever these guys want, I'd rather not know. In my haste to get away I end up not paying much attention to where I'm going. Without warning I'm on the ground with my butt hurting.

I look up and notice a man with dark blue hair looking down at me. He looks like he's about to apologize, but I really don't have time for that kind of thing. I quickly get to my feet, but it's already too late.

The guards had caught up to me and boy did they look angry. I guess my trick early with the Yellowtail cart didn't sit too well with them; I wrinkle my nose at the strong fishy smell emanating from them. I'm just about to run again when I notice that they're in front of me, as well as behind, and there are no side alleys I can run into. Not to mention that the buildings are tall, too tall for a little girl like me to climb quickly without any help. Or magic.

Using magic has always been my last resort, it's one of the principles I carry with me from my Master, but I know I have little choice right now. It's either magic, or giving myself up to the guards.

The man I bumped into a minute ago is still here, looking shocked that someone like me can possibly have so many guards after her. Even if he wants to leave, he's stuck now. There's no way they'd let him pass through, just in case he's my accomplice. Which he isn't, but they won't believe me; I swear their policy is "Guilty until proven innocent"...

Next, the man did something I wasn't expecting, he spoke, not to me, but to the guards. "What could this little girl have possibly done to you to make you so angry?" It was a good question, and one I'd like to know the answer to. I hadn't asked before I ran for it. Now that I think about it,that probably proved my guilt to them.

A big, muscular guy steps forward to reply, the same one that found me in the dinner. He 's most likely their captain. "She didn't pay her taxes," he states rather calmly.

At his answer I get a confused look on my face, "Taxes? What taxes? I'm not even from this city."

"You didn't pay the visitor tax!" My confused expression remains so he continues, "At the west entrance to the city, our tax collector called in to tell us that a girl matching your description knocked him unconscious after refusing to pay the 10000 Jewels required to enter the city."

My expression changes to one of surprise. "Wait... So you mean he was telling the truth? I thought that he was just a thief trying to get my money. I mean, a ridiculous tax like that can't possibly exist, right? But you're saying it does?"

"Now then, why do you need so many guards to apprehend her?" The stranger asks. Another good question. He seems to be full of them. I really should learn to ask these kinds of things...

"The man at the west gate is one of our best men and she managed to knock him out! She's no normal child!"

That guy was one of their strongest? If this city was ever attack it would totally crumble. I shake my head at the prospect.

"For resisting arrest and injuring the guards of this city," the captain's now addressing me, "You are now charged a fine of 50000 Jewels."

My jaw drops open. 50000? I'd barely be able to pay the 10000 needed to get in, let alone something that's five times that price!

I bite my lip while I go through my options. There's no way I can pay, so I might be able to work it off. No, that would take too long. I could run? Nope, they're still blocking the way. I guess my only choice is to fight. I brush strands of my short maroon hair out of my face and sigh. So much for a low profile, and so much for reserving my magic.

I look up at the stranger who stood up for me, "Sorry you got dragged into this. " He responds with a smile, "Don't worry about it- I've been through worse."

"You need to duck now." He's just about to question what I mean when he notices what I'm doing.

By relaxing myself, I can focus my energy and direct it to my arms and legs. Black and purple magic begins to surround them.

Before the guards have a chance to react, I take off. While my magic is infused with my limbs, I become faster and stronger. I use my limited knowledge of hand to hand combat to kick and punch my way through the guards. They manage to get some attacks in as well. My pale face is littered with scratches, some bleeding, some not, and my maroon hair is getting horribly tangled.

After I knock out most of the guards on the blue haired man's side I decide that this is a good time to leave this screwed up town. Still using my magic, I sprint toward the closest exit, receiving stares from people as I go by.

I don't stop running until I'm well out of that place, but now that I'm in a forest I plan to keep my magic going until I'm sure that I'm safe. Panting, I place my hands on my knees to rest. I may be fit, but sprinting 2km is still tough. Really tough.

A noise in the bushes draws my attention. I slow my breathing and get into a fighting stance. I slowly inch towards the noise but sigh in relief when I realize it's only a rabbit.

Just as I let my guard down, something grabs my shoulder from behind, causing me to automatically roundhouse kick whatever it is. My kick is blocked. Standing on one leg isn't easy so I quickly begin to lose my balance and fall to the ground.

A shadow looms over me. I close my eyes and brace myself for the worst. But nothing happens. I tentatively open one of my eyes and see a hand. It was waiting to help me up. Fully opening my eyes, blue meets black as we make eye contact and I recognize the man from before. The one I had bumped into.

"You don't have to be frightened of me. I just want to help." He takes my hand and helps me up. Once I'm standing I quickly pull my hand away. All he does is smile at me.

"Why?" I ask.

"Why am I here?" I nod. "Because I wouldn't feel right about leaving a child out in this dangerous forest by herself."

"I can take care of myself."

"I saw. And I'd really like to know what type of magic that was."

"It's none of your business." I turn my back to him and walk a little ways away before he speaks again. I pause.

"I promise I won't do anything to harm you. You've been through enough today, I know that, but I just want to talk. It'll only take a few minutes."

I turn back around and study him. He seems just like any other man, but at the same time he seems different. Not to mention, he's going out of his way to be nice to me, which doesn't happen often.

He must have noticed me staring because he says, "Oh, if you're wondering why I seem different it's because I'm a wizard. My name is Macao and I'm from the Fairy Tail guild."

Fairy Tail? I've heard that name before. It's starting to come out of many people's mouths these days. Still, I shake my head. "I don't care who you are or where you come from. I just want to know why your still here."

Well... I was impressed with your skills. You have talent. Talent that, with better training, can help you in life."

I suppose that could be taken as an insult to my Master, but he's the one who ditched me, people can say whatever the hell they want about him. My face doesn't shift from it's neutral position and I wait for him to continue.

He gives me a sheepish smile and goes on "Right, well I just wanted to offer you a position in the guild."

"I'm just a kid..." I'm sceptical. I've never heard about famous guilds recruiting children to join

"Most of the new members are kids. About your age too. We're being overrun by them, but he guildmaster always says that they'll be the next generation of proud Fairy Tail members."

"No."

His smile disappears. "Why not?"

"I'm... The solitary sort..." It's true. Ever since I left home I've been mostly alone, and the last person I got close to just disappeared one day. It takes me a long time to warm up to a single person, so a guild full of people just seems out of the question.

"We have those types too," he counters. He's really intent on getting me to join. I don't understand why. "If you don't take this chance how will you earn money? And don't forget that it's a great opportunity to improve your magical abilities."

I shake my head again. "Sorry. I just can't see myself taking part in something like that." I incline my head in his direction and begin heading farther in the forest, away from the town.

Macao calls out after me, "You have a tough exterior, but you really are a sweet girl. I hope you change your mind. If you do, Fairy Tail is located in Magnolia."

* * *

><p>Days later I find myself thinking about what he had said. It's true that I'm running out of money and I have no way to get more. Fairy Tail... Could I really fit in in such a place? I lean back and stare up at the clear blue sky.<p>

Ever since Michael vanished, I've been by myself. Maybe being in other people's company will be a good thing. I make up my mind. As I stand up, I brush the dirt from my blue pants. Next destination; Magnolia Town.

I hope I'm not making a huge mistake.


	2. Chapter 2 Redone

**CHANGE ALERT (only applies to alerters): I'm getting rid of her demophobia (fear of crowds) and downgrading it to something more like paranoia. I know it seems like I'm trying to make the character perfect, it's just that it'll mess with some of the stuff that'll happen later on. She'll still have the tick about being approached from behind though and I swear she will not be a mary-sue!**

**A/N: In this chapter, Shae's age skips from 11 to 15, I hope that will help clear some things up. **

**Review and leave me any suggestions on ways to improve. **

* * *

><p>I step off the train onto a platform. It's just like all the others; massive, clean, and crowded. Just my luck that the crowd is extra large this particular day.<p>

I hate crowds. You never know who or what could be lurking in them, hiding among all the normal people, blending in and looking harmless while stalking its prey. Just the thought of all the evil wizards, serial killers and rapists that could be walking around me right now, brushing their arm against mine is enough to send chills down my spine. I shake my head slightly to clear it and rush off the platform, trying my best not to trample anyone.

Once I'm out of the crowd I feel myself relax somewhat. Complete relaxation is a rarity for me; the only time I ever achieve it is when I'm asleep, but even then I wake up at the slightest noise. God... I suppose I may be a bit paranoid. Just a bit.

It's been just over a week since I spoke to that Macao guy. I bet he's forgotten about me by now. I might just be wasting my time coming here, but it's not like I have anything else to do. Maybe seeing the place will get it off my mind once and for all.

The town's really nice. I walk around a bit to get my bearings. There are so many magic shops I stop trying to count them all. This place must flourish from trade with wizards, it's clear everywhere I look. I'm really tempted to check some of them out, but I can't forget why I'm here. I'll come back after I've taken a peek at the Guild Hall and spend what little money I can afford if I think it's worth it.

I only have to ask one person about Fairy Tail and they point it out like it's nothing. This guild seems to be respected here to a certain degree. I thank the person and head in the direction they show me. I find the guild on the southern coast of the city.

This is it. My heart is pounding hard, harder than on the platform, as I edge the door open. I brace myself for what I may see.

Whatever I was expecting, it isn't what I find. It's true that Macao had said there are tons of kids my age but I thought he was exaggerating to try to make me feel better about joining. He wasn't.

I step inside and the door shuts behind me. There are people everywhere. Too many people. I can't stand being in crowds for over five minutes, I just can't. How did I fool myself into thinking I could handle being in a guild? Sure, they're all guild wizards so the assumption is that they're all good people, but just like there are decent people in Dark Guilds, I know this from experience, there can be bad people in Light Guilds.

I shake my head, this was a stupid idea. I turn around and reach for the doorknob. Before I have a chance to grab it I hear someone call out to me.

"Hey!" the voice says, " I was beginning to worry you wouldn't show." I look back and see Macao getting up from his seat from beside some guy smoking a pipe. He's heading toward me.

A frown tugs on my lips. "I... just wanted to see the place before I made my final decision," I inform him.

"And what would that be?"

"The same as before. I'm not-" A crash and shout cut me off.

"You punch like a girl!" One voice is yelling. Two boys are gripping each other and glaring. The one with black hair throws another punch that hits the other straight in the face. The guy who was hit just shrugs it off and throws a punch of his own. I notice the big Guild symbols on them and blink. These rowdy kids are members?

Macao follows my gaze and sighs, "I see they're at it again."

"Again?" I question. This kind of thing can't be normal, can it?

"Yeah. Those two can barely meet without getting into a fight," He says it so calmly. It's odd. "But it should be broken up soon enough."

I nod to acknowledge I heard him. The strangest part about this whole thing would be how most people are just ignoring what's going on. This is definitely not what I expected a Light Guild to be like. In a way, these boys are kind of entertaining. A small smile sneaks its way onto face and I'm almost tempted to smack it away. I don't want to give Macao any ideas.

Just as Macao had said, a girl with bright red hair soon walks in and grabs the two of them by the scruff of their neck. She lectures them and then throws them to different corners of the guild. They get back up and glare at each other but comply and stay put. It's good to see that there isn't any sexism going on, at least Fairy Tail has that going for it.

"I've got an idea," Macao says out of the blue. I look up at him. "Why don't you try staying here for a day? You can take a mission and everything. See what being in the guild's like and if you don't like it you can leave since you won't be an official member. What do you think?"

I think hard about it and don't see a huge down side. I nod.

"Perfect! Now let me introduce you to Guildmaster Makarov." He sets off toward the back of building where what looks like a bar is located.

As I follow him I realize that I've never told him my name. Not that it really seems to bother him, but he may as well know. "My- my name is Shae."

Macao looks back at me and smiles, "Nice to meet you."

* * *

><p>"Hey, Shae!" someone calls, snapping me out of my thoughts. I was thinking about how I first came to Fairy Tail; it's already been 4 years since then! Those years passed by so quickly and yet I don't regret a minute of it. The happiest times of my life have been in this crazy guild and I wouldn't change it for the world.<p>

"Shae!" the voice calls out again. A tilt of my head reveals Natsu looking up at me. He grins. "Come on! We've got a mission to do and I'm starving!"

"I don't think my wallet can handle your appetite," I answer as I jump down from my favorite spot high up in a tree.

"That's what the mission's for!" states Happy well... happily. "We clean out your wallet now, and then pay you back after we get the reward."

My only response is to stick my hand out for the poster. Natsu complies. The job sounds easy enough; all we have to do is hunt down some wild beasts that have been killing the town's livestock. The pay is decent too, 10 000 Jewels for a quick extermination.

"Looks like the train stops pretty close to the town," I say while I try to figure out how long it would take us to get there. Mental math may not be my strong point, but I'm better at it than my partner. Though that isn't saying much; Natsu is not usually the academic type.

After I mention taking the train Natsu gets a disgusted look on his face. "Let's run there!" he suggests.

"No way." I've been his partner for years now so this argument is a regular occurrence. Of course, if I got as sick as he does on transit I'd probbly be as unwilling as he is. "It'll take an hour by train but by walking it'll take half a day. Once again, no way."

"I said we could run-"

"No." I fold up the poster and tuck it away into my Capri's pocket. "Come on, the next train leaves in 15 minutes."

He grumbles and but follows behind me anyway.

* * *

><p>On the train my only real company is Happy. Natsu is way too busy puking up my hard-earned cash to put up much of a conversation. I feel sorry for him, but it's not like I can do anything.<p>

"This is simple right?" Happy questions. "We'll be done by tomorrow afternoon?"

"Seems like it," I say, "but I can't be sure." I read over the request again. _"Some overgrown animals have been terrorizing the villagers and stealing our crops. Our town's income relies solely on our famous strawberries so everyone suffers if we have nothing to sell at the monthly harvest. Please come quickly, we've already lost over a third of the crops!"_

"Killing beasts is what we do best!" he exclaims, "this should be a piece of cake."

"Yeah," I reply as I turn to look out the window, "let's hope so."

We sit without talking for several minutes. Happy loses interest in watching his friend empty his stomach contents so he reverts to lounging around the compartment. The landscape flying by is enough to hold my attention. Mountains dissolve into hills and then into grassland. Out of grasslands spring up trees, then flat plains and that's all I see for the rest of the ride.

When the train halts I let Natsu put his arm around my shoulders and help him out. "I still don't understand how you can get so sick from such a smooth ride," I tell him.

Since we're off the train he regains himself and stops leaning on me. "Well, I don't get how come you don't. Those things are a death trap!" I shake my head in an amused manner and drop the subject.

"So how much farther is it?" Happy asks, munching on a small raw fish that he took out of his pack.

"10 minute walk from here I believe."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Natsu demands. He doesn't look back and sprints off toward the town.

"Wait! Natsu!" The cat calls after him, but he's either ignoring him or is too far away to hear. I urge Happy on and we run after him. Well, I run and Happy flies.

Sprinting there only takes about two minutes. As I see the gate loom closer I slow my pace. The gate is... different; it's made of green bricks with a design of intertwined strawberries and vines. The town itself is definitely memorable as well. There are giant red strawberries everywhere- on the rooftops, beside every stand and home, there isn't a place without some kind of strawberry decoration. Not the mention that the town is painted different shades of red and green, as if it was made up to resemble strawberries. I'm starting to get turned off the red berries...

"Do you think they're eatable?" Happy questions while inspecting a strawberry about his size next to a potted plant.

"I wouldn't try eating it if I were you," I reply.

He backs away from it and gazes off in a new direction. "Tell that to Natsu."

I'm about to retort that even Natsu can't be that stupid, but I stop myself when I see the pink haired boy trying to lick somebody's house. I sigh and shake my head.

Pushing him out of my thoughts I go back to searching for what could be the mayor's residence. I quickly give up. There's no way I can tell the difference between the buildings. They all have the exact same colors and design.

"There's something strange," Natsu says as he joins me in the town's square where we're surrounded by the fake berries. "How come we haven't seen a single person yet?" Now that he had brought it up I find myself wondering the same thing. When we first entered I was too preoccupied with the weird designs and layout that I had failed to notice the lack of people.

He sniffs the air but shakes his head. "All I can smell is strawberries." He takes in a deep breath and exhales while a grin spreads across his face. "But they sure smell good!"

"I'm glad you think so sonny," a raspy voice from behind us says. We both whirl around. My stance shifts into a battle ready position without me even thinking about it. My automatic response to someone coming up from behind me is to be prepared to fight.

The voice belongs to an old man who's taller than Natsu, Happy and me combined. He has his hands behind his back and a smile on his face. "There is no need for that stance child."

I bite my lower lip out of embarrassment and relax my posture a bit. Everyone in Fairy Tail has learned to approach me from the side in case I lash out. I can't help my actions- it's a habit I picked up while I was by myself but getting it under control would be nice. I have improved though, I used to automatically attack and now I just get ready to attack- it's a major improvement if you ask me, or the people I've kicked back at the guild.

The elder smiles at me and continues, "I am the mayor of this village and I would like to know what purpose you have in coming here."

Happy flies up to join the conversation, "We're here to help with your infestation. We're from Fairy tail!" He turns around to show his guild mark. Natsu and I follow suite. He points the mark on his right shoulder. I pull on the right sleeve of my shirt to make the black mark on my right arm visible.

When he sees our marks the old man's face lights up. "You've finally arrived! Thank the gods!" He looks around before taking out a green whistle and blowing into it. "It's OK! They're here to help!"

The second he had finished talking doors burst open. It seems like everyone had hidden inside their homes when they spotted us approaching, but now that their leader had giving the OK they swarmed around us cheering and applauding forming a crowd.

Great... that's just great...


	3. Chapter 3 Redone

Happy seems to be loving the attention and cheering, but the same can't be said for me. The town is creepy enough by itself, the last thing I need right now is to deal with what crazies could be lurking between the villagers.

Natsu almost immediately remembers about my little paranoia. "Can you show what was attacked?" he asks, "The request wasn't very specific."

"Of course, right this way," he responds as he begins pulling away from everyone.

The people part to let us through. I do my best not to show my anxiety as I walk (more like speed-walk) away from the group. Happy follows after me immediately, but Natsu pauses for a moment. His nose twitches and his eyes scan the crowd before following me as well.

I shoot Natsu a grateful smile for earlier. He grins right back and continues to follow the old man. Happy is gliding beside him. I'll pay him back somehow. Probably with a free lunch or something.

I clear my throat. "So... Uh... What exactly are these 'beasts' the bulletin mentioned?" I hate it when job requests are vague. It's one of the main reasons we keep getting into trouble. That, or Natsu doesn't let me see the poster before we leave.

The mayor abruptly stops walking, but remains silent. We look up at the old man expectantly. He sighs. "It's not important. " We glance at each other; he's being evasive; that's never a good sign. "But I will say this: they used to be your ordinary everyday crows." He motions toward a large field and we turn in that direction.

"They're huge!" Happy exclaims, and he's not exaggerating.

The things are taller than humans. There seem to be three distinct types. Ones that have three giant red eyes and are the darkest, others that have fours wings and are the largest, and the scariest of all have two beaks, one stacked on top of the other filled with razor sharp teeth, and have claws bigger than our heads. For now they seem to be ignoring us and are just picking through the remnants of some mutilated strawberries the size of dinner plates.

My mouth drops open in surprise. "Wha- How-..." I'm at a loss for words. If we had given these birds a couple more days they'd be as big as dragons and dragon-sized crows are _not_ something I want to face.

My partner studies the situation for less than a minute before saying, "So all we have to do is chase off these crows and we get our reward?" That's Natsu for you, always straight to the point.

"But Natsu," Happy pipes up, "They might be tough. They sure look it."

"Don't worry Happy! Me and Shae can handle them." He pumps his fist into the air to show that he's ready for anything. "Right?" He asks as he looks toward me. The mayor looks pleased. I'm not.

I hesitate. Inwardly I agree with Happy, but outwardly I say, "Y-yeah!" It's almost like I feel ashamed to disagree with him. Sometimes I wonder if I'm too insecure for this line of work. "No worries!"

"Then let's do this!" He yells before charging into the middle of the group and using his breath attack, which sends several of the crows crashing into the far away fence. The impact knocks them out. If they weren't paying attention to us before, they sure are now. They leave behind their meal to gather around Natsu.

Turns out these things aren't as tough as they look. I run to meet up with Natsu, feeling more confident now. I have to fight my way through the group of beasts.

I've infused my limbs with magic. This is my usual method of fighting since it uses up the least of amount of energy. Kicking and punching, I make my way toward my partner. Once beside him we shift so we're back to back and staring at about the same number of fiends.

"The usual?" I ask.

His grin grows larger. "The usual," he agrees. On the count of three we each take off in the direction we're facing and being fighting the crows there.

Natsu and I have this little game we play. It's not much, but it keeps us entertained during the easier missions. We sometimes have a contest to see who can take out more enemies. For the sake of fairness we don't use any attacks expect enhanced power in our limbs. Natsu favors his arms and I favour my legs, so I kick while he punches.

It takes a little bit (there are a lot of crows) but we finally finish. In the end they only looked scary, and were push overs when we actually fought. Lucky for us.

"I got 16!" I call out, pleased with myself. "How'd you do?"

"21!" He calls back. I frown as he give me a thumbs up. I lost. Again.

He runs over to Happy and they high-five each other. I grudgingly walk up to them. Even though I lose every single time, it stills annoys me. It shouldn't, but it does.

Natsu gives me a pat on the back. "You've gotten better!" I stick my tongue out in response. He laughs.

The mayor walks up to us, followed by the rest of the town. I take a step away from them. "Well done! Marvellous!" he exclaims happily. The villagers echo him.

"It was easy," Natsu states with a grin. "Happy to help." Happy and me nod in agreement.

"So..." I begin, as I stare at the villagers suspiciously, "How did ordinary crows get so big? And mutated, let's not forget mutated." They start to fidget and mutter amongst themselves.

"Natural mutation?" Happy suggests. "Growth magic? Weird chemicals?" Growth magic seems the most possible, but unlikely. It's a mostly useless type of magic that practically no one uses, not to be confused with Giant Magic which increases strength as well as size. How could it benefit these villagers? Unless... I open my mouth to say something, but Natsu beats me to it.

"You used it on your strawberries didn't you?" He questions, more like states. They shoot glances at each other. "That's the funny thing I was smelling earlier."

You-", he points to a grouchy-looking man near the left side of the crowd, "are the one who handled the magic. I can smell it all over you."

The man in question steps forward. He glares at us before saying, "Look, we may be in your debt for getting rid of those damn beasts, but what we do here is none of your business." His tone is snarky and defensive.

"But magic can't transfer like this," Our flying partner states.

"Then it isn't real magic," I contribute.

Natsu sniffs the air. Now that the source is separated from everyone else he can focus better. "Smells like... A potion."

The mayor cuts him off by walking toward us with a bag of money. He shoves it into my hands and turns me around to face the town's exit. "As mayor of Mundane Town," he starts, "I would like to formally thank you for what you have done. Here is your reward, the 15 000 as promised and an extra 5 000 for how quickly you took care of the problem." He pauses his speech and bows along with the rest of them. After he straightens up, he continues, "Now if you would be so kind as to leave the premises. We have a lot to prepare before the next market."

The giant man ushers us to the gate. He gives Natsu and me a slight shove and closes (slams) the doors behind us.

I take it upon myself to split up the money, and quickly finish the job. I hand Natsu his share, which he takes gladly. Natsu got 9 000 Jewels and I got 11 000; after all, he stills owes me for lunch earlier.

* * *

><p>One train ride later, we're back in Magnolia. In the end, the job took less than a day. It's about seven in the evening now so most people are eating dinner. I hear some stomachs growl behind me. I raise an eyebrow at Happy and Natsu.<p>

"How can you possibly still have room?" I question. "You ate enough food for six people!"

"But that was hours ago!" Natsu retorts. "And fighting all those crows made me hungry."

My mouth forms a small "O" as I remembered that I told myself I would treat Natsu for helping me out earlier. "Fine," I say. Their faces light up. "But I get to choose the place." They nod eagerly. The corner of my mouth twitches into a small smile.

* * *

><p>"It's this way." I turn down several streets, each narrower than the other, until we reach a small restaurant.<p>

I first found this place on a stormy day when I needed some shelter and couldn't get back to the guild in time to avoid the torrential downpour.

"It's small," Happy states. He's right. It's hardly bigger than the average apartment and looks less inviting. "Did we make a wrong turn?" He looks in the direction we just came from as if to try to figure out where we strayed off course.

I shake my head. "This is the place."

"Awesome!" Natsu exclaims before bursting in through the doors. The sign above them rattles. The "K" from "Knightly" falls off.

Happy still looks uncertain but follows after his friend, leaving me alone outside. I'm the last to go in and I realize that if I wait any longer they might order everything on the menu. With those thoughts in mind I rush inside.

I spot Natsu and Happy sitting at a window booth. Walking over to them I take a look around. This place hasn't changed a bit; though there might be an extra layer of dust since last time. It's still as empty as ever. The only other costumer is a man in his thirties and he looks like he's drunk.

I sit down opposite of Natsu and pick up a menu. Him and Happy as discussing what they're going to order. It sounds like a lot.

"Don't order too much," I inform them while I look over the menu.

Natsu looks at me over the top of his menu. "Why?" He questions.

"I'm treating."

A huge smile spreads over Happy's face. "Really?" he questions as his tail wags back and forth.

"Yup." I place my menu back on the table. I'll just order what I ordered last time I was here.

The teen gets a confused look on his face. "But I've got money now. You don't have to."

I shrug nonchalantly. "Well... I owe you for earlier." I wave my hand to signal the only waitress over. She practically skips over to us.

"What can I get you?" she asks in an oddly fake voice. We tell her our orders.

I notice that Natsu and Happy restrained themselves and made sure to order less than they usually would. I also notice that the waitress keeps eyeing Natsu. My lips get tugged down into a frown.

I realize what I just did and force my face back to an emotionless state. Why would I be bothered by this? The waitress comes back with our food so I shake the thoughts out of my head. Right now it's time to eat and enjoy a job well done.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: I'm trying to make the story more interesting since I got a suggestion that things were going too slowly so I changed my writing style. Tell me which one you like better. **

**And thank you to all the people who have reviewed and alerted. You guys are the reason I've been kicking my butt into high gear; high_er_ gear.**

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><p>In the late hours of the night, three men are having a dispute inside a large dark room. The door has been locked and the blinds closed to keep unwanted eyes out. The oldest is sitting behind a desk that is empty except for one folder, while the other two stand before him. He just finished giving the two some instructions and is now waiting for them to exit his office quietly as is the custom.<p>

The figure on the left, a burly man in his mid-twenties with blond hair, black eyes, and scars on every visible patch of skin, turns around and heads for the door; just as he is expected to do. The other, a young man in his late-teens with brown hair and muddy brown eyes, does no such thing. He stays in his place, shifting his gaze between his superior and the large man who has paused with his hand on the doorknob. "You want me to do _what_?" The youngest asks, wondering if he had heard wrong. Surely _he_ wasn't needed for something like this.

"Is there something wrong?" The question is innocent enough, but the tone has a hidden malice which causes the brunette to shiver. He quickly shakes it off. Returning his expression to an uncaring one, he continues.

"Do I have to work with _him_?" The teen refuses to back down. He stares straight into his boss's eyes, unwavering. No one has ever spoken back to the boss before, not unless they were replying "yes sir", and he is quite surprised. The boss _hates_ surprises.

"Are you an idiot?" a voice from behind asks. The youngest turns his head slightly to acknowledge it. He looks back toward the desk and realizes he may have gone too far. No one is supposed to question the boss. No one. Not even his second in command or most trusted member. Without another word he spins on his heel and leaves.

The scarred man smirks at his retreating back, "Messing with them may prove entertaining," is all he says before following the teen.

Once the door is closed, the remaining man regards the file on his desk. He flips through the papers until he finds what he wants. On the page are two pictures, one is a black guild symbol and the other is a photo of a teen with maroon colored hair.

He grumbles as he places the folder down, still open to that page. They had better finish the job quickly. The young mage is too valuable to leave with such a pathetic guild.

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><p>It's mid-afternoon and I sit quietly by myself at a table inside the guild. Everyone else is sitting in groups, but I opted to be left alone for a little while. Several people have waved me over, however, I kindly declined their offers. I frown at the drink in front of me as I absentmindedly spin the little paper umbrella.<p>

It's been over a week since the trip to Fraynis and I haven't done any job since then. Natsu has been badgering me to go with him on another one, but I've refused every time. After I turned him down again yesterday, he dejectedly left with only Happy. I hate seeing that look on his face, but I need some time to sort things out.

I may just be paranoid (I probably am), but I feel like someone's been following me. It's been happening more and more lately. After pushing my unfinished drink aside I stand. I reach up to twirl a strand of hair that's fallen out of my French braid as I head for the exit.

On my way out the door a hand grabs my shoulder. Instinctively my body tenses. I inhale deeply as my logic takes over. Since only guild members could be behind me right now, I resist the urge to lash out at whoever it is. The hand's owner feels me tense and quickly lets go.

"Sorry," they say. The voice is obviously female. "I guess I should have waited until you were out the door, but I wanted to talk to you as soon as possible."

I relax my body and turn to face them. The person turns out to be none other than Lisanna. Seeing her standing there with that kind smile on her face reminds me of something I've always wondered. I've never understood how a calm, nice girl like Lisanna can be related to a demon like Mirajane. I push the thoughts aside as she begins to talk again.

"Is something wrong?" she questions, looking concerned. "You've been distant lately, even more than usual." I can't stop a frown from forming. I hate to see others worried about me, especially when the reason for my worries is beyond their control.

Making a motion as if to shrug off her fears, I say, "It's nothing. No need for you to worry."

This time it's her turn to frown. "If something bothers you it bothers me; that's how things are in Fairy Tail." She steps forward and replaces her hand on my shoulder. "Surely you've been here long enough to have learned that." When I don't say anything she continues, "Well, if you feel like talking about it I'll be happy to listen, and so will anyone else. Hope you feel better soon." With that said, she brushes past me on her way out.

My lips give way to a smile as I watch her leave. One thing is certain, this place feels more like home than my house ever did. The smile stays on my face the entire walk to Fairy Hills.

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><p>I open the door to my room and look inside; everything is just as I left it. At least that means no one has broken in. Not that I have anything worth stealing.<p>

My walls are still a burgundy color and decorated with paintings made by Reedus. I offered to buy them from him, but he normally gives them to me for free. The floor is hardwood and has a lot of scratches and scuff marks caused by my sneakers and me moving furniture around. My bed is positioned under the biggest window. It has dark blue covers with a water design and pillows that desperately need a good fluffing. I have a shelf lined with books across one wall and a desk across another. There's a white door that opens up to my very own bathroom. As for my own personal touches; I have a small fridge in one corner that is stacked with drinks and minuscule amounts of food. My books mostly consist of books and myths about dragons and other mystical creatures as well as some books I've borrowed from Levy. After all, if dragons can exist, why not phoenixes or sirens? There are other things in my room as well, like a couch, a large mirror, a ceiling fan, and other things like that.

Taking off my shoes, I throw myself onto my bed, crumpling the covers. My window has a good view of the Guild and the city so I like to stare out it. I used to climb out onto the roof, but after Erza caught me last time, I've decided to refrain from doing that for a little while, at least until after she stops patrolling up there.

I feel myself fade from reality as I become engrossed in my thoughts.

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><p>I am so absorbed in my thoughts that I don't realize how late it's gotten. A knock on my door is what snaps me out of it. I open it to find the one and only Script Mage standing on the other side.<p>

"Hey," she says, "Want to walk back to the guild with me? Lisanna said you could use the company and frankly, I've noticed you have been looking down lately." Word does seem to spread fast in Fairy Tail; especially between the girls. "Jet and Droy wanted to walk me back since it's getting dark, but I said I'd be with you so I'd be perfectly safe."

I give her a grin before agreeing. Even If I am a girl, her teammates would murder me if I somehow endangered their leader. Levy takes my arm and happily leads me down the hallway. However much I wanted to be alone, I find myself enjoying her company. We talk and laugh on our way back to the guild. Once there, she invites me to sit with her, Jet, and Droy. This time I accept.

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><p>The train finally stops and Natsu jumps out in pure joy. Other passengers give him weird looks, but he ignores them. All that matters is that he's out of the stupid train. The bright afternoon sun feels all the better now that he's off that horrid machine.<p>

This latest job was in the large port-side city ,Wanderers' Paradise, far away from Magnolia. They had had to take several trains to reach it and he was definitely not looking forward to the trip back. He'd drag the job out if he wasn't so keen to get back to the guild.

Happy flies up to the Dragon Slayer and sighs in relief. "I was getting so bored on the train. And hungry. When are we going to eat?"

Natsu grins in reply, "Right now!" He takes off at a run to find the nearest food stand or restaurant. After all, you can't do a good job on an empty stomach. Happy happily flies after his friend, already picturing the scrumptious fish he'll soon be eating.

They find a hotdog stand for Natsu and a fish cart for Happy. The two of them then continue on to the place they're supposed to meet the client as they munch on their lunch. They look around as they walk.

The buildings are about the same stature as those back in Magnolia, but these ones are visibly older. Shingles from the roofs are barely hanging on, the paint is peeling, and the stone is beginning to crack. Several windows are boarded up; rusted nails visible through the damp wooden planks. Some of the buildings have had their doors knocked down and never replaced. The streets have not fared any better. Cobblestones are either loose or missing. A layer of mud and debris litters the ground, and garbage can be found in rotting piles beside almost every home.

Not even the smell of the nearby ocean can hide the stench. Natsu wrinkles his nose. A normal person would find the stench annoying, but with his amplified senses, the smell can be overwhelming in places.

"What happened to this place?" Happy questions, "I thought this city was rich. And a _Paradise._"

The Fire Dragon points in front of them. Further down, everything suddenly gets newer. Windows are whole and polished and paint is fresh. The road is paved properly, and the scent of freshly baked bread and flowers is present. "We must be in a bad side of town or something."

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><p>It took a while, a lot of running around, and several dead-ends before they finally reach the park where they are meeting the client. They find the woman exactly where she said she would be; under the third chestnut tree from the left when coming through the west entrance. Why she was so scarily specific they would never know.<p>

When she notices the pair approaching she adjusts her shawl and walks up to meet them. "I'm so glad you could make it," she says in a misty voice. "But," she looks between the two, "where is the last one?"

The teen raises an eyebrow. "Last one?" What is she talking about? This lady is not giving off a normal vibe.

"The one surrounded by shadows," she states, as if it's a perfectly normal thing to say. Blinking at their confusion, she shakes her head. "I am sorry. I should be more clear. Your other partner, you do have one, yes?" They nod. "Should she not be here? "

Natsu's mouth forms a small 'O' as he registers what she's talking about. His face falls into a frown. "She didn't want to come..."

The woman bites down on her lower lip. A look of concern flashes across her face. "That is a bad sign." Happy and Natsu share a look. There is something really odd about this woman. A quick sniff of the air reveals that their client has a fragrance similar to incense and strong tea.

"It is not nice to sniff people you know." Natsu grins sheepishly and scratches his head. "But no matter." She turns around, beginning to walk toward the shabby part of the city they had just come from. "Come along." Reluctantly, they follow her.

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><p><strong>AN: It has been brought to my attention that there has been an inconsistency in my story so let me better explain. **

**"In the second chapter Natsu's nose couldn't smell a lot of people but in the third chapter his nose was super good****." **

**The only reason Natsu couldn't smell the people is because the smell of strawberries was everywhere and overpowered everything else. Like when people wear a bunch of perfume so you can't smell their sweat or whatever.**


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